Dairy Industry in Austria
Austria is renowned for its high-quality dairy products, which play a crucial role in the national economy. The country has leveraged its natural resources and advanced farming techniques to sustain a robust dairy sector.
Milk Production
Austria produces approximately 3.8 billion liters of milk annually. The country's favorable climate and rich pastures contribute to this substantial output.
Dairy Cattle
There are about 540,000 dairy cows in Austria, primarily raised on family-owned farms. These operations ensure high standards of animal welfare and milk quality.
Milk Processing
The volume of milk processed annually in Austria is around 3.5 billion liters. The country has a well-developed processing infrastructure that supports a wide range of dairy products.
Cheese Production
Austria produces approximately 200,000 tons of cheese every year. Popular varieties include Bergkäse and Emmental, which are appreciated both domestically and internationally.
Milk Powder and Whey Production
Around 50,000 tons of milk powder and 20,000 tons of whey are produced annually in Austria.
Key Enterprises
- Berglandmilch
- NÖM AG
- SalzburgMilch
- Ennstal Milch
- Kärntnermilch
Major Dairy Farms
- Biohof Achleitner
- Pell-Menghof
- Bauernhof Maurer
- GailtalBauer
- Reitbauerhof
Export of Dairy Products
Austria exports around €1.4 billion worth of dairy products each year, with key markets including Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Import of Dairy Products
The country imports dairy products worth approximately €800 million annually, mainly from other EU countries.
Recent Developments
Lactalis has announced plans to acquire BMI dairy assets, potentially impacting the Austrian market due to geographical proximity. Berglandmilch has pioneered aluminum-free aseptic carton packaging in Austria. Cargill Animal Nutrition & Health expanded its Engerwitzdorf facility, increasing production capacity to support growing micronutrition demand. Burger King Austria introduced Oatly's Baristamatic oat milk, replacing cow's milk temporarily. Additionally, SalzburgMilch adopted the innovative SIG DomeMini packaging solution.
Austria has transformed its dairy industry from very small farms in 2000 to larger farms today, with 52% of cows now on farms with 30-100 cows. The nation is among the leading dairy growth countries in the EU. Austria was also a source of cattle imports to Kazakhstan.
Modified: 2026/02/18